1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information management device for printing apparatuses and a corresponding information management method. More specifically the invention pertains to an information management device for printing apparatuses, which receive expendable consumption information regarding an expendable consumed by multiple printing apparatuses to manage a consumption status of the expendable in the multiple printing apparatuses, where the multiple printing apparatuses are located at different places and are capable of receiving a print job and of transferring the received print job via a communication line for execution, as well as to a corresponding information management method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A diversity of information management devices have been proposed to input the number of copies from each copy machine connecting with the information management device via a communication line and to calculate a charge for the copies. The prior art information management device inputs the number of copies from each copy machine every month, calculates the charge for the copies, and sends the charge to an administrator of the copy machine.
The prior art information management device is capable of charging the use of images by each copy machine, but fails in charging the use of images when an image is input into one copy machine and is output by another copy machine, which is connected with the image-inputting copy machine via a communication line.